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Stay at home parent v unemployed?

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  • 20-08-2010 9:17pm
    #1
    Cat Melodeon
    Registered Users Posts: 1,617 ✭✭✭


    Okay, so what's the difference?

    While I was pregnant, my work contract ended so I signed on and shortly afterwards went on maternity benefit. Now I'm getting dole again, occasionally signing off when I get offered (very short) contract work (about 2 weeks at a time). I'm at home full time with my son (12 months now) and genuinely looking for work, although realistically we'll need to move to the city for me to get a real job. I love being at home with my boy, but love work too. I am not house proud, can barely keep the floors clean and don't iron. I like cooking, do loads of DIY/garden related stuff, but honestly, don't much love the 'stay-at-home' part of being a stay at home parent. Once I've enough done around the house to not be labelled a slob and to keep husband happy, me and junior are out of the house or on the road.

    So at what point do I stop being unemployed and start being a stay at home parent? Is it a matter of being in receipt of dole, or is it more of a philosophical difference? If I make the switch in my head to being a SAHP, do I need to start baking cupcakes and wearing skirts? How did you adapt to the transformation, or have you tried to avoid it?

    Insights please!


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    #2
    astra2000
    Closed Accounts Posts: 734 ✭✭✭astra2000


    Hi well I am a stay at home parent through choice and do not claim any benefit, so I presume the difference between us is that you are actively looking for and willing to work outside the home when the opportunity arises. I think the titles of housewife/stay at home mum automatically make us all think of the houseproud baking skirt wearing women of our mothers time, but I dont think that that is what makes a stay at home parent. It makes me laugh whenever I hear a stay at home dad been interviewed a lot of them claim to only mind and feed the kids it sounds like their wives come home from work and the do the majority of the chores, I dont think many stay at home wives get away with that one! Now I am not saying this is the way for all stay at home dads but for the four or five I have seen/heard been interviewed this has bee what they have said! I have became more houseproud as kids have got bigger and dont make such a mess and I do a bit of baking but like you I do like to take off as much as allows! I think if I worked full time a ceaner would be required if possible. I have to say though I enjoy been a stay at home mom more than any job I have ever had and do not regret the decision to do so. To be honest I think I may be a bit of a control freak and would not trust someone else to mind my kids!!!!!!!!!!


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    #3
    Moonbeam
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 18,953 Mod ✭✭✭✭Moonbeam


    You are looking for work so therefore entitled to the dole a person that choose to be a stay at home parent is not actively seeking work so is not entitled to the dole.


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    #4
    smelltheglove
    Registered Users Posts: 4,503 ✭✭✭smelltheglove


    I chose not to work for a while after my 2nd which meant I was a sahm, I was surprised by the amount of people saying I should be claiming the dole but honestly I made the choice so to me I was not entitled to the dole. If you decide to be a sahm then thats what you are, if you are an out of work mom then fair enough thats what you are.


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    #5
    vinnypc1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2 ✭vinnypc1


    Cat Melodeon wrote: »
    Okay, so what's the difference?

    While I was pregnant, my work contract ended so I signed on and shortly afterwards went on maternity benefit. Now I'm getting dole again, occasionally signing off when I get offered (very short) contract work (about 2 weeks at a time). I'm at home full time with my son (12 months now) and genuinely looking for work, although realistically we'll need to move to the city for me to get a real job. I love being at home with my boy, but love work too. I am not house proud, can barely keep the floors clean and don't iron. I like cooking, do loads of DIY/garden related stuff, but honestly, don't much love the 'stay-at-home' part of being a stay at home parent. Once I've enough done around the house to not be labelled a slob and to keep husband happy, me and junior are out of the house or on the road.

    So at what point do I stop being unemployed and start being a stay at home parent? Is it a matter of being in receipt of dole, or is it more of a philosophical difference? If I make the switch in my head to being a SAHP, do I need to start baking cupcakes and wearing skirts? How did you adapt to the transformation, or have you tried to avoid it?

    Insights please!
    Hi there. I was reading your post and I am in a very similar situation (at home with kids). I have been doing a significant amount of research on potentially working from home so that I could work on my own schedule. I have found a few but I'm a little skeptical. Has anyone found any good home-based working opportunities?


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